The described subject matter relates generally to additive manufacturing. More particularly, the subject matter relates to powder bed additive manufacturing.
Additive manufacturing, also known as solid freeform (SFF) manufacturing, refers generally to a category of manufacturing methods characterized by the fact that the finished part is created by layer-wise construction of a plurality of thin sheets of material. Additive manufacturing typically involves iteratively applying liquid or powder material to a working surface, then performing some combination of sintering, curing, melting, and/or cutting to create each layer. The process is repeated to construct a near-net shape component which can then be finished into the final product.
Various types of additive manufacturing are known. Examples include various powder-based processes including electron beam melting in which an electron beam selectively melts powder to form each layer; laser additive manufacturing where powder is selectively melted using a laser, and direct metal deposition. Powder-based processes typically involve rapid heating and solidification as the energy beam is passed over the powder. Support structures, such as a heat sink, honeycomb, and/or anchors have been fused to an upper surface of a thick metal build table, to dissipate heat and prevent distortion of the component as it is built in a layerwise fashion thereon. With this conventional arrangement, one or more additional stress-relieving steps must then be performed prior to separating the build plate, the support structure(s), and the near-net shape component.